The Dead Land: Chapter 8

8.
Robbie sat tight in the house. She was alone. She had no idea where her father was. She rang him several times, on both his work phone and his mobile, but he didn’t pick up. She bit her nails nervously. It was so strange, thinking that only the day before, she had been admiring Agatha, for her down to earth attitude and beautiful appearance. It became clear to Robbie that Agatha had been hiding behind a mask of lies. Everybody had fallen for it.

She checked her watch. The hour was almost up. Where was her dad? She began to shake, so scared and alone in the empty house. He may be pretty useless most of the time, but I wish he was here, she thought to herself. I need to find him.

She ran upstairs and changed into all black clothes before creeping out the back door. The streets were eerily silent, and none of the houses had lights on, though Robbie had no doubt everyone wanted to be at home. Feeling like a spy in a film, she clambered over her garden fence and hid in a bush in the neighbour’s garden, where she had a view of the street. It was uncomfortable crouching in the prickly bush, the branches digging into her from every angle, but she knew it was worth it to have a chance of seeing her father.

Five minutes passed. She fidgeted, trying to get comfortable. Ten minutes passed. Still no sign of him. Fifteen minutes passed, and the only sign of life Robbie saw was a cat running past, probably considering it wasn’t worth losing all nine of it’s lives to Agatha Redknapp’s men. At twenty minutes, she was about to give up and go back inside. And then suddenly there he was. Running, his tie flying in his face, still wearing rubber gloves and sweating badly. Robbie’s face stretched into a beam. At least something was finally going right. She was about to shout his name, run and hug him and drag him inside the house. But then she heard the squealing of tyres, and a van pulled up outside the house, slamming the breaks on. Her dad looked terrified suddenly, looking in both directions frantically, but a man had already jumped out of the car and grabbed him by his collar. He didn’t struggle, and it took great effort for Robbie not to scream as she saw the writing on the van. It read:

E.N.D
Extermintation Neighbourhood Detectives
Is this the end for you?

A woman, dressed in black exited the van next, wearing a professional black dress and a jacket with shoulder pads. She wore sunglasses, even though there was certainly no sun about, for it was a gloomy day to match the occasion. As she reached Robbie’s father, she nodded to the man holding him and Robbie’s father was forced to his knees. The woman removed her sunglasses with a short sigh, and began to examine her nails as though bored to death by the situation.
“State your name.”
“I’m not telling you anything,” Robbie’s father said through gritted teeth. He was rewarded with a strike to the back of his head, which made him cry out. Robbie closed her eyes as the woman repeated the statement.
“Harry Fletcher.”
“And what is your reason for being outside your house when you were given strict instructions by the Prime Minister to return home within an hour and await instructions?”
“I was in the process of a lung transplant at the hospital. And now I am attempting to get home to my daughter.”
“And do you know what happens to those who-”
“Yes, I believe I am aware. If you’re going to kill…or should I say murder me, get on with it.”

The woman exchanged a glance with the man and Robbie held her breath. Then the woman smiled, in a rather sick way, and opened up her jacket. In the inside, there were guns and knives lined up. The woman ran her fingers over them in indecision.
“This is my first killing on the job. Don’t want to make a botch of it.”
“Go ahead and take your time. I’ve got all day,” Harry replied coldly.
“Well, thank you, but I’ve made my mind up now,” she said, selecting a small gun. She pointed the gun at Harry, and Robbie knew what was about to happen. She closed her eyes and put her fist in her mouth to stop herself screaming, tears rolling down her face and her whole body shook. There was silence for a moment. Then the gun fired. Robbie knew her father was dead.